“[Abdullah] led the group in a ritual: the reciting of names of those taken by state violence before their time—ancestors now being called back to animate their own justice: ‘George Floyd. Asé. Philandro Castille. Asé. Andrew Joseph. Asé. Michael Brown. Asé. Erika Garner. Asé. Harriet Tubman. Asé. Malcom X. Asé. Martin Luther King. Asé.’”
(Alexander Watson – CNS News) In a June 13 conversation between Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder Patrisse Cullors and BLM-Los Angeles chapter co-founder Melina Abdullah, Abdullah discusses how the two of them have “become very intimate with the spirits we call on regularly,” and Cullors talks about how using a hashtag for BLM is “almost resurrecting a spirit so that it can work through us.”
“We’re invoking” our ancestors, states Abdullah.
The conversation between the two Black Lives Matter activists took place after a live performance art event by Cullors entitled “A Prayer for the Runner.” The performance was sponsored as part of June Pride Month by the Fowler Museum at UCLA. (Cullors identifies as queer and she is “married” to BLM activist Janaya Kahn, who also identifies as queer.)
Research
The conservative voice and Christian content is being silenced more and more. Stay informed by signing up to receive CRN’s need to read articles. AD FREE! NO VIDEOS! NO POPUPS!